Writing-desk



(No Model.)

G. H. ROGERS.

WRITING DESK..

. Patented Oot. 19,1897.

llivrTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. ROGERS, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

WRITING-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,882, dated October 19, 1897.

Application filed May 16, 1896. Serial No. 591,755. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE 1-1. ROGERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Birmingham, Jefferson county, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVriting-Desks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, attention being called to the accompanying drawings, 1with the reference-numerals marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in writing-desks, and particularly to such where the medium receiving the writing consists of books. Vhere these latter are of considerable thickness-as, for instance, those used for recording purposes-writing becomes rather difficult on account of the uneven surface which the open face of the book assumes at times when the larger part of the leaves are on one side, and which side then becomes higher than the other where the leaves are less.

One of the objects of this invention is to obviate this difficulty by an improved construction which causes the two sides of the open book to assume nearly an even surface and forms one of the features of this invention.

Other features relate to a copy-holder supported above the desk to hold the matter to be copied from, in case such matter is in sheet form. Further, an arm and hand rest is provided to support these members while writing is done near the lower edge of the book. This arm-rest is adjustable in height to meet the height of the face of the book.

Other accessories are added which are necessary and convenient in such a device, and which will be described at the proper time.

In the following specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, is found a full description of the invention, its manner of use, parts, and construction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows in a side elevation the desk complete and adjusted to support an open book the parts of which are of unequal thickness. The book is, however, omitted. Fig. 2 is a front view of the desk as it appears in Fig. 1. On one side the arm-rest is shown in position, while for clearness it is entirely left ofic on the other side. Abook-holder supporting a book to be copied from is also shown to the left. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a device to keep the leaves of the book down iiat while the same is opened outv on the desk. Fig. 4 shows a modified construction by which the inclination of the top of the desk is adjusted.

.Figa 5 shows part of the desk infront view with the arm-rest as it appears when not in use, at which time it occupies a position below the top of the desk. side view of the arm-rest in such position. Fig. 7 is a view similar to the preceding one, and shows'the arm-rest out and adjusted for use; and Fig. 8 is a section of the copy-holder detached.

The top of the desk is supported on an upright pillar 10, which rises from a base 11, on the under side of which rubber feet 12 are provided.

13 is a chair the seat of which is carried by a screw-threaded standard 14., which is supported in a frame 15 and vertically'adjustable thereon with reference to the height of the desk to suit the convenience of the occupant. Frame 15 is secured to base 11 by a bolt 16, the connection being adjustable and permits the chair to be moved to or from the desk, for which purpose one of the parts through which the bolt passes isslotted. This frame 15 is also provided with a roller or caster.

17 is a foot-rest, and is supported on, or forms part of, the base 11.

The top of the desk consists, substantially, of a subtop 18, supported on the pillar 10 and supporting in turn the top proper, which consist of two sections 19 and 2l. These two sections are each independently vertically adjustable to permit adjustment for the purpose of equalizing the unevenness in the two parts of the open face of the bookin cases where the number of pages on one side greatly exceed the number on the other.

The adjustment is positive and by screws 22, which carry the sections and are sup-v ported each in a slide 20, dovetailed into the subtop below. The top-sections should be prevented from turning with the screws dur- Fig. 6 is a sectional IOO ing adjustment, for which purpose any suit-- able arrangement may be made. In this case rods 23 depend from the under side of the sections and reach into openings in the slide below. They are free to move up and down with the sections during their vertical adjustment, but prevent them from rotating. By reason of being supported in these slides below, the two top-sections become each laterally adjustable on the subtop, and being adjusted to even height may be moved toward each other to form a level desk with unbroken surface to be used for general purposes. Otherwise when a large book is supported thereon the two sections are kept separated, as shown in Fig. 2, to admit the back of the book, which usually requires extra space, to sink into the open gap between them, thereby preventing the middle portion of the book from being higher than the other parts thereof.

The whole top-that is, the two sections as a wholemay be adjusted horizontally, for which purpose subtop 18 is supported directly on a pin 24, which fits into a socket in the upper part of pillar 10. This pin may also be a screw, in which case the whole top is also capable of vertical adjustment.

The chair may be swung to follow the horizontal adjustment of the top by loosening the bolt 16 and tightening it again after the chair has assumed the new position. The angle of inclination of the whole top may also be adj usted by a construction, as shown in Fig. 4. The subtop 18 is pivotally secured at 28 and provided'with a segmental flange 29, which has holes 3l arranged on a circular line the center of which coincides with the fulcrum at 28. Any one of these holes is capable of registering with a hole passing through pillar lO, and if a pin is passed into the two holes registering it is evident that the top is held then to the particular angle. This iiange occupies a position in a slot in the upper part of pillar 10 and is provided with extensions 30, which prevent the top from tipping entirely over, in case, when while unequally loaded, the pin is inadvertently pulled out.

A ridge 32 is provided at each of the lower edges of the book-supporting sections to prevent the book from sliding off.

The arm-rest consists of the top 33, supported by props 34 and 35 when in elevated positions. Of these props those indicated by 34 are pivotally secured at one end to the under side of the top and at the other end to a sliding shelf 36, which supports the whole arm-rest. The other props 35 are pivotally secured at one of their ends only, such ends being connected to the under side of top 33, while the other ends may be placed against any one of a number of teeth 37, the position against any particular tooth determining the height of top 33, as may be readily understood. In Fig. l one of the arm-rests is shown adjusted to meet one of the top-sections, which sections are at diiferent heights. It the arm-rest is not needed, the lower ends of props 35 are lifted clear out of the teeth, whereupon the top may be lowered and the whole device shoved under the subtop 18 and ont of the way, as shown in Figs. 5 and G. For this latter purpose the shelf 36 is supported in grooved rails 38, secured to the under side of the subtop. In either position-that is, when either in or out--the arm-1 est is held in place by set-screws 39. Y

For convenience of operation the lower ends of props 35 are connected by a cross-bar 41, whereby the two props may be manipulated at once, while said cross-bar may be readily reached from below through an opening 42 in shelf 36.

The uppermost leaves of the open book arc held down by spring-clamps 43, preferably constructed of wire, bent to form two arms, with a coil where they join, and one arm supported in staples 43 at the under side of the top-sections. They are moved out, sliding with their lower arms in these staples, to permit the book to be opened, after whichthey are slid in again, the upper arm at the same time being sufficiently raised against the spring-pressure of the coil until in place above the edge of the leaves.

45 is an ink-well inserted near the edge of the right-hand top-section.

The sheet to be copied from is supported in a copy-holder and held between two rollers 46 and 47, carried in the frame 48 thereof. The requisite pressure is obtained by the weight of roller 47, which is made, preferably, of iron to be sufficiently heavy, and rests on the lower roller. The surfaces of these rollers are preferably soft to obtain frictional contact, and for such purpose the lower roller 46 is of rubber, while the upper iron roller 47 is covered with cloth. I have found that it is not necessary that the lower roller should be a continuous one, and two sections, as shown in Fig. 2, are sufficient. The sheet is introduced from the rear and in the direction of the arrow, (see Fig. 1,) and after passing through between the rollers is held snugly against roller 47 by iiap 49, the front end of which is turned up and partly around said roller 47, being cut out to admit the sections of the latter and serves with its edge as an indicator which shows the progress of the copying and prevents mistakes. This copyholder, which may also be used independently, is in this case supported on an articulated bracket 51, which is in turn adj ustably held on a post 52, secured to the subtop, as seen in Fig. 1.

An additional roller 50 may be use'd above the roller 47 to guide the paper rearwardly as it emerges from below and prevents the same from hanging over toward the front.

The cut-out parts of flap 49 are bent and shaped to form brackets 53, serving as pensupports.

In case the matter to be copied from is con- IIO tained in a book the same is supported on a book-holder which has been made the subject of a separate application, Serial No. 626,191, and which consists, substantially, of two shelves 54, supported on a base and inclined against each other at their upper edges. Projecting ridges 56 are provided at the lower edges of these shelves to prevent the book from sliding off therefrom. This whole structure is supported on a post 57, rising from a ba'se 58, the manner of support being of a kind to permit rotation lot' the upper part on said post to allow adjustment of the open face of the book to the position desirable. A link 59, secured by hinged connections at one end to pillar 10 of the desk and at the other end to post 57 holds the book-holder at a fixed distance from the desk.

By reason of the hinged connections at 60 the position of the book-holder may be adjusted with reference to the position of the top of the desk on its supporting-pillar. The same paper-clamps as described before in connection with the desk may also be used in this case to hold the upper leaves of the book down flat.

The triangular space inclosed between the inclined shelves 54 54 and above base 55 is utilized to receive a set of drawers 61 on one side and shelves on the other.

63 is a file-case to receive papers for record or papers already recorded.

As will be observed, this device presents a very complete piece of furniture for the purpose intended.

All parts are adjustable to any desirable or Inecessary position, while other parts which are not absolutely necessary add to the completeness and convenience of the implement.

By reason of the vertical adjustment of the chair in connection with the horizontal adj ustment of the top of the desk, the stature and habits of the writer may be suited. Inequalities of the surfaces on which the writing is done are evened out by the adjustable top-sections in connection with and aided by the adjustable arm and hand rest.

The matter to be copied from may be readily supported in convenient position for reading whether in sheet form or in books.

The desk by itself maybe used for all general purposes of the c ounting-room, being, however, in addition especially well adapted to support books of larger size. In connection with theattachments for supporting matter to be copied, it is eminently well fitted for use in recorders offices, particularly such as are connected with institutions and courts transacting judicial business.

Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. In a writing-desk, the combination of a pillar 10, a subtop 18 pivotally supported by it, top-sections 19 and 21 carried on the latter in a manner to have a lateral adjustment, that is, one toward or from each other for the purpose of admittingr the back of a book between them while apart and to form, when together, a complete desk-top with unbroken surface. Y

2. In a writing-desk, the combination of a pillar 10, a subtop 18 pivotally supported by it, slides 2O carried by the subtop in a manner to have a lateral adjustment, that is one toward or from each other and top-sections connected to said slides and having the same adjustment.

3. In a writing-desk, the combination of a pillar 10, a subtop 18 pivotally supported by it, slides 2O carried by the subtop in a manner to have a lateral adjustment, that is, one toward or from each other, screws 22 passing through these slides, top-sections 19 and 21 supported on them, each having the same lateral 'adjustment with the slides and an independent adjustment on them by means of screws 22, and means to prevent the top-sections from rotating with the screws.

4. In a writing-desk, the combination of a subtop adj ustably supported on a pillar and supporting in turn, top-sections 19 and 21 adjustably connected, the adjustment being positive and independent as to each, and armrests for each top-section, each having also an independent and positive adjustment to conform to the adjustment of its respective top-section.

5. In a writing-desk, the combination of a subtop 1.8, a pillar 10 on which it is supported, top-sections adj ustably supported on the subtop, grooved strips 38 below the subtop, sliding shelves 36 supported between them, armsupporting shelves or tops 33 one for each topsection, sliding shelves, which carry them, grooved strips 38 below the subtop two for each sliding shelf to support them, props 34 IOO pivotally secured between shelves 36 and tops 33 at opposite ends, props 35 pivotally secured to the under side of tops 33 and having their free ends connected by a cross-bar 41, and teeth 37 on shelves 36 against any one of which bar 41 may be placed for the purpose described.

6. In a writing-desk, the combination of a subtop 18, a pillar 10 on which-it is supported, top-sections adj ustably supported on the subtop, a post 52 secured to the subtop, an articulated bracket 51 carried by said post, and a copy-holder supported at the free end of said bracket, consisting substantially of two feedrollers held normally against each other, and a iiap 49 serving as a guide as described.

7. A copy-holder consisting substantially of two feed-rollers 46 and 47 between which the paper is advanced, roller 46 being of rubber and not continuous, but in sections only, a guide-flap 49 passing through between the rollers, being cut out to admit the sections of roller 46, such cut-out portion being shaped to form brackets 53 for the purpose described.

8. In combination with the top of a writingdesk, a paper-clamp 43 constructed of wire which is shaped to form two members substantially parallel with each other, and having coil-springs at one end where the two IIO IZO

members connect, all parts formed preferably in one piece, staples at the under side of the Writing-desk which receive one of the two members, that is the lower one, whereby the clamp is supported in `a manner to have a sliding adjustment to or from the edge of the desk, while the other or upper member is adapted to reach over the top of the desk for the purpose described.

9. In a writing-desk, the combination of a pillar 10, a top pivotally secured thereto at 28, a segmental flange 29 reaching downwardly from the under side of the top and into a slot in the upper part of pillar 10, holes 

